


Glitter and Gold

by viridforest



Series: Like the Sun - Mer!Rein & Pirate!Ana [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Courtship, F/M, Fluff, Kissing, M/M, Mom Ana Amari, big beefy fish boy, mchanzo only mentioned at end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2019-02-06 15:16:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12820308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viridforest/pseuds/viridforest
Summary: Ana visits Reinhardt once more. Gifts are exchanged, offers are made and McCree learns the dangers of keeping secrets.





	Glitter and Gold

**Author's Note:**

> Me: I want to get some other fics out before I write the second part of Like the Sun  
> Also me: A filthy liar
> 
> In truth all the nice comments really pushed me to get this out and I just got so inspired to continue writing this so here it is! As always I hope you enjoy and let me know in the comments if you want a possible part 3 featuring some drama/angst/adventures. I have a few ideas in mind but want to see if a possible multi-chapter third part is something you all would be interested in.

Ana visited as often as she could, often staying for a week or more if her life allowed it. She would spend hours just sitting with him in the coastal cave where she had first met him, conversing or simply enjoying each other’s company.

His tail never ceased to mesmerize her and she was thankful for the time to truly inspect it whenever they met. The glittering surface of the scales reminded her of the sun glittering on the waves. The golden yellow of his tail varied slightly in shades with the color growing darker on the large, splayed fins at the end of it. What was even more fascinating was how the upper and lower halves of him connected.

The scales didn’t simply end and skin begin but instead smaller scales slowly blended the two halves of him together before skin began, the nude scales ending just about where his belly button would be if he had one. Ana could spend hours tracing the smooth skin and equally smooth scales there. He had told her once about how others of his kind had different fins, not just color but also shape and fins. But as far as she was concerned his had to be the most magnificent one in the whole ocean.

When Ana eventually had to depart again the two would linger on the shore near the town. Hovering close together, hesitant and one would move forward slightly but never fully commit to whatever they had planned before both would slowly back away and say their farewells proper. Her crew didn’t question why she came back half wet, the salt smell clinging to her boots and a distant look in her eye.

She did eventually explain to her crew where she went, who she met. While surprised at first they did eventually sober to this revelation she had dropped on them. The older members of her crew like Jack calming to the fact much quicker, he too has seen many outlandish things during his time at see both before and during his time with Ana. They left her in peace to her time with Reinhardt however, even they could see how much she truly treasured her time with him.

\-----------------------------

This process continued for well over a year since Ana and Reinhardt has first met, bordering on two. It was during a similar rendezvous, the night before Ana would once again depart for a far off place that things finally changed. Ana stood on the shore, the wind much too strong that day to risk rowing out to the cave.

Reinhardt was late and Ana was getting anxious although no one would have been able to tell, the only sign being her pacing along a small length of the waters edge, digging the toe of her boot into the wet sand before spinning and walking the expanse of the shore once more. When Reinhardt’s head finally broke the surface of the water Ana had a hard time keeping the grin that so desperately wanted out from spreading across her whole face. This didn’t stop Reinhardt from flashing his large, pearly white smile up at her though, his rows of sharp teeth glinting in the afternoon sun.

“Ana! I am sorry for making you wait but I had to retrieve something for you.”

Smiling softly at his admission, she couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty. “I was not waiting too long dear friend, but I am afraid I have no gift for you.”

What did you give as a gift to someone who lived in the ocean anyway? Most everything she could think of would be destroyed or damaged at some point. It seemed unfair that he could give her a gift but she couldn’t do the same in return. This situation wasn’t new however. Over the last couple of months whenever Ana stopped by, Reinhardt would meet her and bring a gift, usually something pretty and bright that looked dazzling in the sun. Usually a stone, smoothed by the ocean waves or gems and other trinkets from ships that had sunk below the waves. Ranging from a stone the color of the sky before the storm to an only slightly rusted necklace, bejeweled with large sapphires and small twinkling diamonds.

She never sold any of the gift he gave her, instead treasuring them and admiring them, especially when she was out at sea and far from the place, a reminder of him. She kept them in a small chest in her cabin. Everytime she was able to add a new one to her slowly growing collection she had to fight to keep any semblance of a blush from crossing her face. If she knew any better she would say that Reinhardt might be courting her. Did merfolk even ‘court’? He always made it seem not a big deal but something told her otherwise, the way his eyes would light up when she accepted the gift or the soft look he would give her when he thought she was too busy admiring it. Truthfully she didn’t find these actions unpleasing but instead rather flattering. It made her heart flutter in her chest whenever they happened.

Swimming up to where she stood, his tail slooshing in the waves as he sat in front of her. His grin reached his eyes as he held his arms behind his back as he replied to her statement.

“Please it is no trouble, you don’t need to give me anything at all. I do have this for you though.”

This time he had brought her something that even she could tell was much more personal than any of her other gifts. It was a large, spiraling shell of a snail like creature, the coloring was swirls of orange and brown on the white surface. It was about as big as her hand. Once he gingerly handed it to her however, she couldn’t help the gasp that was ripped from her throat.

Inside of the shell sat what at first appeared as oddly shaped flakes of gold or other metals before she realized it was actually some of Reinhardt’s scales that filled the shell to the brim. Sat amongst them and peeking through here and there from his scales was also small pearls, perfectly round and cast in a sunset of colors as the slowly waning sun reflected off the scales inside.

How long did it take him to collect everything he needed to make this? Realizing her jaw had dropped open, Ana promptly shook herself from her stupor and cleared her throat. Taking a second to collect her thoughts before speaking she studied his face for a moment. The open, yearning and hopeful expression she found there was almost enough to draw the breath from her once more.

Taking a deep breath, she made her words as strong as possible in that moment. “Reinhardt I- i love it. It is so beautiful, how long it must have taken you to craft this gift, I am honored.Thank you.”

Ana mustered as much sincerity and emotion into those last two words as possibly. This gift was truly astounding. And the bashful smile he gave in return, the way he fiddled with his hands and lowered his gaze to the rushing water below had clutching the gift tighter between her hands. What she didn’t expect however (and she really should have given his personality), was Reinhardt suddenly reaching his large arms around her to draw her into a hug that lifted her off her feet. Crushing her against his chest she gripped his shoulders to return his embrace even as the breath was crushed from her lungs.

His bellowing laugh of joy shock her in his arms and she was only released after gasping out a request for air. Joining him in his laughter she leaned against him for support as she caught her breath.

With his smile crinkling his eyes, Reinhardt leaned down to be closer to Ana before speaking, “I am so pleased that you like it dear Ana! I will not lie, it took time to collect the needed parts as I had to wait for my scales to naturally molt off for me to collect. I had been crafting it over the last few months. It… is a rather personal gift so I was unsure on how you would react.”

At his admission, Reinhardt was once more blushing and averting his gaze to anywhere but her. As adorable as it was to see someone of his size and demeanor in such a state it still wouldn’t do at all. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Ana knew just how to fix this situation.

Standing up on the tips of her toes, the wet sand sinking slightly under her weight, Ana stretched up to plant a kiss on Reinhardt’s cheek. Grabbing his bicep with her free hand to steady herself, she slowly retracted from his cheek to gauge his expression. His mouth had dropped open and his eyes, wide, stared back at her in shock. For a moment she thought she had read his intentions wrong, that she had misjudged the situation and timing. These fears were quickly abated though. 

Rushing forward, Reinhardt grasped her face in his large hands. Hovering inches from her mouth he locked eyes with her, his stare intense as if trying to read the thoughts that raced behind her eyes. Seeming to find whatever he was searching for within her gaze, their lips connected, molding together. Ana had to lift up onto her toes to keep connected with him as he moved closer to her. Breaking apart, the pair breathed heavily, even the gills on the sides of Reinhardt’s neck which remained closed above water seem to quiver as if wanting to draw in much needed oxygen.

Smiling at each other and staying in each other's grasp, the duo were finally broken from their happy stupor by the call of a gull, the sun was setting fast and bathing everything in an orange light. Pulling apart hesitantly, they both knew they would have to part ways soon. They simply nodded at each other, ready to depart and too excited and stunned to properly wish the other farewell. Reinhardt slowly started to back away into the water when Ana’s shout stopped him.

“Would you… would you like to travel with me- and my crew?”

The want must have been deeply present on her face no matter how hard she tried to school her expression. She didn’t think his smile could have gotten any bigger but it did as he swam back to where she was.

“Nothing would make me happier than to accompany you on your voyages and to be at your side.” He replied in the softest, most sincere voice she had ever heard from him.

So it was settled, Reinhardt would be joining her on her adventures across the high seas, what an odd turn her life had taken but not one she regretted in the slightest.

\-------------------------

Docking in the large fishing village, Ana and her crew departed their vessel. While most everyone else rushed to a local tavern for the first bit of fresh food they could have after weeks of being at sea, Ana instead walked along the coast until she arrived in a small, secluded inlet where Reinhardt floated, waiting for her.

Instead of joining her however, he gave her a mischievous smile before sinking below the waves. Standing at the edge of the shore, at the edge of the waves that rushed up before her, she waited for the person that was also meeting her.

Sure enough she soon heard the happy whistling from someone making their way to her. Once she could see their shadow next to her she turned around to see none other than Jesse McCree standing a few feet from her.

“Howdy there Ana, sure is great to see you again but why such a tropical location? Y’know they got a tavern in town right?”

Smiling softly up at him, she lifted a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. “Oh now, is that anyway to greet your mother? Come here.”

Reaching up to wrap Jesse in a hug, the two embraced for a few moments before breaking apart. Moving next to him, she brought a hand to his shoulder to begin leading him to walk with her closer to the water’s edge. Once there she turned him so his back was to the water and she stood in front of him. Trapping him on the spot she began speaking right away, reminiscing and lamenting to him. Everything from ‘ _oh how you have grown_ ’ to ‘ _you won’t believe what Jack told me_ ’ and quickly his posture was relaxed and completely unguarded, the trap was ready to be sprung.

Keeping her devilish expression schooled to one of neutrality, Ana continued speaking, “So Jesse, some little fishy told me you were keeping secrets from your dear old mother. Something about mermaids and boyfriends.”

“Well ma’am I assure you that I don’t know a lick about what you’re talking ‘bout.”

With the sun in front of him, Jesse didn’t have a shadow to alert him to the presence of someone behind him. A large pair of tree trunk like arms wrapped around him, locking his arms to his sides and keeping him from drawing his gun to fire at his assailant. The booming voice next to his ear however, shifted his expression to one of anger and a need to fight to one of shock and disbelief.

“McCree! It is so good to see you again my friend! Is Hanzo here as well?”

Before he could reply however, Reinhardt had swung him around and dragged him through the shallow water around them. McCree’s clothes were instantly soaked, from his sock inside his boot to the hat upon his head which barely stayed on through the onslaught. Reinhardt gently dumped him in the water at Ana’s feet, said woman smirking down at him.

“Serves you right for keeping secrets from your mother. Now, who is this Hanzo fellow and where is he so I may meet him.”

**Author's Note:**

> @mccree this is why you dont keep secrets of the mer variety from Ana


End file.
